- 8.50/10 1. Editors choice: Wyze Smart Bulbs
- 9.50/10 2. Premium pick: Philips Hue 75W Starter Kit
- 9.00/10 3. Best value: TP-Link Kasa Smart Lighting
- 8.50/10 4. Nanoleaf Shapes
- 8.00/10 5. Ring Smart Lighting
- 6.50/10 6. Meross Smart Lighting
- 8.50/10 7. Govee Smart Lighting
- 8.00/10 8. Wiz Smart Lighting
- 8.00/10 9. LIFX Smart Lighting
- 7.50/10 10. Sengled Smart Bulb
Lighting is a popular option when updating a home with the best smart devices, and for good reason. Whether you're looking for just a few customizable colored bulbs or want to equip your home theater with the perfect mood lighting, today's top brands offer excellent performance, wide-ranging compatibility, and lower prices than ever before.
While there are a lot of brands, styles, and features to choose from, two of the most important considerations are which voice assistant a smart light brand is compatible with (such as Google Assistant) and whether it needs a hub or supports direct connections. You'll also find companies that offer novel smart lighting solutions, such as LED strips, wall sconces, and smart lamps. We've compiled a list of the best smart light brands, so you can pick which option is best for your home.
Wyze makes many smart home devices that are powerful and easy to use, and the Wyze Bulb Color lives up to that reputation. It's bright, with bold colors and extensive customizability. Plus, it doesn't cost very much, especially if you want to outfit several rooms with multiple bulbs. If you're new to smart lighting and want something both affordable and versatile, you can't go wrong with Wyze.
While it doesn't offer many light bulb types, it makes a floor lamp, light strip, and rechargeable night lights. In terms of features, it works well with Alexa and Google Assistant, although it doesn't support the Apple HomeKit.
The app is straightforward, and it's easy to set contingencies and schedules. Plus, you don't need to purchase a hub. You'll need a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network with internet access for setup and operation, but you can also control Wyze smart bulbs over Bluetooth once they're installed. The only minor drawback is that they don't support dynamic lighting effects such as music synchronization.
- Protocol: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
- Hub Required: No
- Voice Compatibility : Alexa, Google Assistant
- Relatively affordable
- Long lifespan
- In-depth automation and scene customization
- Don't require a hub
- Lack dynamic lighting effects
- Few lighting types to choose from
Philips Hue is hands-down the best performing smart lighting ecosystem you can get into right now. It offers the most in-depth customization options, including scheduling and If This Then That programming. The control interface is one of the most intuitive and allows for precise control of up to 50 lights using the company's proprietary hub and some third-party controllers. It's compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit and works swimmingly with voice control. It also boasts a variety of lighting for indoor and outdoor use. You'll also find far more than standard light bulbs in the Hue arsenal, as it offers the widest selection of wall lamps and freestanding lamps of any of the competition. Hue is also committed to continuing this dominance, with second-generation bulbs and lamps already in development.
There's a lot to like about Philips Hue bulbs overall, but there is one significant drawback. The individual lights are quite expensive, and to get the most out of them, you'll need to also invest in a Philips Hue bridge. The starter kit we've highlighted includes four multicolored bulbs, a bridge, and a wall-mountable control switch that can make it easier for smart home newcomers to get the hang of using smart bulbs.
- Protocol: Philips Hue, Zigbee, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Hub Required: Recommended
- Compatible with all three major voice assistants
- Wide range of customization and scheduling options
- Impressive variety of lighting types
- Costs quite a bit
- Requires a Philips Hue hub for best results
If all you want is to replace some standard light bulbs with smart ones, TP-Link Kasa smart lighting is a good low-cost choice. They configure with minimal hassle on your 2.4GHz home network, give you access to 16 million colors, and let you assign entire groups to turn on and off at your request. There aren't many other brands as well-known as TP-Link that offer reliable lighting with a decent variety. Instead of simple multicolor bulbs, you can opt for light strips and two variants of rustic, filament-style LED bulbs.
While they're dependable and easy to program, they fall short of the competition in terms of brightness. They also don't support the Apple HomeKit, although the TP-Link Kasa app works with iOS (but not Siri). Finally, the most in-depth programming options are only really useful if you have other Kasa smart devices in your home, such as the brand's popular security cameras.
- Protocol: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
- Hub Required: No
- Voice Compatibility : Alexa, Google Assistant
- Value is hard to beat
- Supports dynamic lighting effects
- Setup is straightforward
- Not incredibly bright
4. Nanoleaf Shapes
To give any room a futuristic touch, consider the second generation of the ultra-premium Nanoleaf Shapes lineup. There are triangular and hexagonal versions, and unlike the first edition, you can mix and match the two with an expansion pack. They're among the most stylish smart lights available and often used by some of the most famous video game streamers. While Nanoleaf lighting is pretty unconventional, it still offers impressive smart home integration, and you can install it on most walls without drilling any holes.
Essentially customizable smart LED artwork, there aren't many other lighting brands that can transform a space the same way. The Nanoleaf Elements wood-look series is a great choice for something both advanced and rustic. You can't synchronize the standard Shapes lineup with your music, but you can if you opt for the Nanoleaf Rhythm or Elements families (although they're not as bright). Unfortunately, it's hard to break into the Nanoleaf ecosystem without spending a chunk of money.
- Protocol: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
- Hub Required: No
- Voice Compatibility : Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit
- Bold and bright appearance
- Advanced music synchronization
- Additional shapes and styles available
- Extremely expensive
- Mini version is very dim
5. Ring Smart Lighting
Intended for relatively specific use cases, Ring Smart Lighting works with Ring products such as its latest Video Doorbell 4. While each Ring light works as a simple motion-detecting light right out of the box, the magic happens when you link them through the Ring Bridge or a recent-model Amazon Echo device.
Besides the standard A19 bulb, most Ring lighting products contain integrated sensors that communicate with your entire Ring network when they detect motion. These integrated sensors allow you to program entire sets of motion-activated pathway lights to turn on if a single light detects someone walking toward your home. You can also schedule different lights to turn on or off at specific times and receive mobile notifications when one of your lights is activated. We've highlighted the 2,000-lumen wired outdoor floodlight, but there are also path lights, spotlights, and solar-powered outdoor wall lights in addition to standalone motion detectors.
- Protocol: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
- Hub Required: Yes
- Voice Compatibility : Alexa, Google Assistant (partial)
- Streamlined for use with the Ring doorbell
- Remarkably easy to set up
- Wired models are especially bright
- Few colored options
- Can't integrate with other smart lights
6. Meross Smart Lighting
It's surprisingly difficult to find smart lighting that promises to work perfectly with Apple's popular HomeKit interface. Meross smart lighting does precisely that. And don't worry if you've already invested a ton into the Apple ecosystem; most of Meross's offerings are relatively affordable. In addition to standard bulbs, Meross sells a table lamp, desk lamp, and floodlight. Note that the company has recently released firmware updates that significantly increase connection reliability when used with the HomeKit. The app is easy to use, and voice control is relatively consistent; however, the color bulbs are limited to 800 lumens and don't support the HomeKit's Adaptive Lighting protocol.
- Protocol: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
- Hub Required: No
- Voice Compatibility : Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit
- Complete Apple HomeKit and Siri compatibility
- Floor and table lamps available
- Reliable voice control
- Only comes in a 60W equivalent
- No Bluetooth connectivity
7. Govee Smart Lighting
While there's nothing wrong with Govee's standard, colored light bulbs, the brand shines considering all the less-conventional lighting styles it offers. That includes boldly colored light bars, freestanding floor lamps, wall-mountable hexagonal light panels, neon rope lights, and immersive accent lighting meant specifically for TVs. If you want to turn a game room or home theater into a dynamically lit wonderland, there aren't any better choices.
The lineup is so advanced that the TV backlight even boasts a high-definition camera that detects the colors and brightness on the TV and adjusts the lights to match in real time, which can greatly enhance the cinematic experience. One of the few complaints is that Govee lighting requires a relatively substantial investment, but with little competition in the way of dynamic accent lighting, that's not surprising.
- Protocol: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
- Hub Required: No
- Voice Compatibility : Alexa, Google Assistant
- Huge selection of light styles
- Rich colors
- Waterproof outdoor models available
- Impressive dynamic and reactive effects
- Relatively expensive
8. Wiz Smart Lighting
First of all, many Wiz products and their packaging refer to the lighting giant Philips. However, take note that Wiz bulbs are incompatible with the premium and high-cost Philips Hue lighting lineup, despite Philips actually owning the less expensive Wiz.
Across the decent variety of bulb formats offered, Wiz lighting delivers bold colors, a convenient smartphone app, and presets such as fireplace and Christmas modes to set the mood just right. You can even program multiple set times for dimming, brightening, and color-changing to match your daily routine. One interesting component is the optional Wizmote, one of the few physical remote controls for any of today's smart lighting brands. Also, Wiz is one of the few smart lights that lets you begin setup anonymously. No confirmed user ID or password required to start the process.
- Protocol: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
- Hub Required: No
- Voice Compatibility : Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri
- Fun and interesting color programs
- Plenty of customization options
- Easy to save your favorite colors and scenes
- Not quite as bright as most
9. LIFX Smart Lighting
LIFX lighting is up there with Philips Hue in terms of reputation. It works with the three biggest smart home voice control ecosystems and offers a wide range of scenes and color customization. In terms of brightness and color depth, it's just about at the front of the pack, maxing out at 1,100 lumens and providing over 500 billion color choices, as opposed to the several million offered by competitors. Using your home's 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network, you can control it from anywhere in the world with internet access. There's also an excellent variety of LIFX products, including smart bulbs with optional high-frequency output for specialized ultraviolet cleaning methods.
Since it offers better light quality than nearly any other, why isn't LIFX considered the best option of all? Some user reviews claim that the initial setup process is slightly buggy, but more importantly, there aren't any other smart bulbs that cost as much as those from LIFX. They're great if you demand peak performance and in-depth voice control, but the cost adds up quickly.
- Protocol: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
- Hub Required: No
- Voice Compatibility : Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit
- Remarkably bright
- Highly precise and wide-ranging color selection
- Compatible with all three major voice assistants
- Setup can be a little tricky
- The most expensive bulbs out there
10. Sengled Smart Bulb
They don't get much cheaper than the simple, hub-free offerings from Sengled. You control them over Bluetooth, they offer a decent selection of programmable controls, and they cost just a few dollars each when you buy a set of four or more. If all you're looking for is replacement bulbs that can change color and warmth, these are as straightforward as they come.
Unfortunately, they're pretty limited as far as advanced features go. For example, they're not compatible with Google Assistant or Siri (although there is an iOS app), and some users even have issues keeping them connected to Alexa. At any rate, if you don't use voice control often, Sengled is a good and cheap solution. It's also one of the few brands with an ultra-bright 100W-equivalent bulb, which Sengled claims can put out up to 1,500 lumens.
- Protocol: Bluetooth
- Hub Required: No
- Voice Compatibility : Alexa
- Especially well priced
- 100W-equivalent version available
- Easy to connect via Bluetooth
- Inconsistent voice control
- Wi-Fi version should be avoided
Choosing the right smart lighting brand
At first glance, it seems like the smart lighting market has nearly identical products, but that's far from the truth. Most brands offer similar basic white and colored bulbs but differ considerably in ease of setup, customization options, and connection reliability. For example, Philips Hue bulbs do just about all those things perfectly, and the only drawback is their relative cost and the required hub. LIFX lighting is a premium contender similar to Philips in some ways, mainly in brightness and color quality. But, unfortunately, LIFX is even more expensive than the Hue lineup.
Additionally, voice control is more popular than ever, so make sure you invest in smart lighting that works with the smart home ecosystem you already use or want to start working with. Nearly all brands support Alexa voice control, with some (such as Sengled) limited exclusively to Amazon's assistant. Others, such as Ring Smart Lighting, require a bridge or compatible Amazon Echo device to enable the smart features.
Other important smart lighting features
Customization is key for most smart home consumers. Each smart lighting brand has its own app interface with varying levels of control. Philips Hue again comes out on top, but Wyze and TP-Link Kasa offer plenty of scenes, grouping, and timing options. Other affordable families, including Wiz (now part of the broader Philips brand, but not compatible with the Hue ecosystem), offer similar security and convenience profiles in addition to especially easy color selection and preference settings.
One thing to consider when installing smart lighting is If This Then That (IFTTT) integration. IFTTT is a contingency-based programming protocol that lets you turn lights on or off, dim them, or change their colors when specific criteria are met (for example, when your smart garage door opener activates). If that's the kind of automation you want, ensure your lighting and other smart home devices support IFTTT and work on the same smart home platform.
Finally, while it may seem obvious, brightness and color depth are two especially worthwhile considerations. Philips Hue, LIFX, Sengled, and Wyze are near the top of the list in both respects, while TP-Link Kasa, Meross, and Wiz have room for improvement.
Premium smart accent lighting
Most people think of replacement light bulbs when they think of smart lighting, but two companies have gone above and beyond to deliver a huge range of brightly colored and novel lighting solutions that can make any bland room fancy. Nanoleaf is a well-known manufacturer of probably the favorite smart lights among PC and console gamers. Their geometric shapes are interesting, customizable, and make a great impression on fans during live streams.
Alternatively, Govee offers an impressive selection of light bars, neon rope lights, LED strips, and other options. They even boast a TV accent light package with a camera that tracks your TV's output and adjusts the lighting color and brightness to complement it. There aren't any other brands that can match Govee's wide range of products.
Best budget-friendly smart lights
If you want to add smart lighting without getting new lamps or mounting anything on your walls, TP-Link Kasa, Wyze, and Wiz are the most economical choices for Alexa or Google Assistant users. Members of the Ring Doorbell ecosystem who want to flesh out their outdoor lighting should, understandably, go with Ring Smart Lighting. Meross, meanwhile, delivers the best bang for your buck if you're under the Apple HomeKit umbrella.